The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the 13 colonies, now known as the United States of America. It established the new nation’s rights and recognized its independence, while also returning land and property to loyalists and paying debts to private companies. Representatives from France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic were involved in the diplomacy, and separate peace treaties were established between the British and each of these nations.
The Treaty of Paris is the agreement between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its 13 former colonies in North America, now known as the United States of America. Signed on September 3, 1783, the treaty officially ended the American Revolutionary War, which had begun years earlier in 1775 at the battles of Lexington and Concord. It was ratified on January 14, 1784 by the Congress of the Confederacy, the legislative and executive authority of the United States, and approved by King George III of England on April 9, 1784. A month later, the two signed documents were exchanged through dignitaries in Paris, giving origin of the name.
Representatives of the United States and the British government met in Paris at the Hotel d’York near the British embassy. The Americans present were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay. The British Parliament has sent David Hartley. While not officially part of the Treaty of Paris, American Revolutionary War diplomacy included representatives from France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic, who had seized the opportunity to join the conflict on the side of the Americans. Separate peace treaties were established between the British and each of these nations.
The 13 colonies rebelled against their parent empire starting in the early 1770s. Simple acts of civil disobedience like the Boston Tea Party were soon replaced by full-scale warfare in 1775. In a push for independence, the Revolutionary War was ultimately unaffordable for the British both in terms of cost and manpower. After nearly a decade of conflict, the British Crown was forced to find a political solution that satisfied the new United States and its allies.
The Treaty of Paris contained a number of different provisions establishing the new nation’s rights in the eyes of the British and the world. According to the preface, the agreement was approved by God’s will. It was designed to restore relations between the two nations and ensure permanent peace. Despite the treaty’s intentions, however, many of the factors not included in the agreement ultimately led to the War of 1812.
First, the treaty stipulated that the British Crown must recognize the independence of each of the states. It was also to relinquish any claim to the territory within the new country’s borders, which had been resolved to include the continued existence of Canada. The Treaty of Paris also gave the United States fishing rights off the coast of Newfoundland and throughout the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In addition, the dignitaries agreed to allow both British and American access to the Mississippi River.
In exchange for these provisions, the new government agreed to return land and property to loyalists who had supported the Crown. All property still belonging to British and military subjects was to be handed over undamaged. This included slaves. Both sides agreed to pay debts to private companies regardless of nationality. Additionally, all POWs were to be released.
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